SHEYI OJO is hopeful of breaking into the Liverpool team when Sadio Mane travels to the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal in January.

Ojo has only just recovered from the back injury he picked up during pre-season and has set his sights on making a return to the Liverpool first team.

Jurgen Klopp has proven he is happy to give the Liverpool youngster a chance during his first year in charge.

Ojo was given his Reds debut at the start of the year in the FA Cup tie against Exeter and in the replay he became Liverpool's youngest ever goalscorer in the competition.

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Sheyi Ojo is eyeing a return to Liverpool's first team

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Sadio Mane will miss part of the season when he travels to the Africa Cup of Nations

His cameo appearance helped earn him five consecutive starts at the end of the season with Liverpool fans excited about the potential of the 19-year-old.

With the likes of Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Adam Lallana to compete with for a starting place Ojo has fallen down the pecking order after his injury.

But with Coutinho out injured and Mane expected to miss a few weeks of action when he travels with his country to the AFCON, Ojo is hoping he will be giving an opportunity to shine once again.

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“Sadio’s done really well whenever he’s played and he’s an important player in our squad so I’m gutted for the team that he’s going, but at the same time it’s an opportunity for someone like me to come in and hopefully prove to the manager that I can play for this team,” Ojo told Liverpool's official website.

“I’m just looking forward to every chance I can possibly get, and hopefully I can do well.”